Cleveland Browns pick-a-player: Adding one free agent from each NFC South team
By Nick Swanson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Shaquil Barrett, EDGE
Over the past couple of years, Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rusher, Shaquil Barrett, has burst onto the NFL landscape. Barrett had a Defensive Player of the Year caliber season in 2019 when he came close to breaking Michael Strahan’s single season sack record. Leading the league in sacks with 19.5, Barrett looked to be the next big thing coming off the edge.
Compared to his 2019 season, 2020 was lackluster to say the least. Only recording 8 sacks, Barrett seemed to have been figured out by the opposing offensive linemen. Coming off his first career Pro Bowl appearance, Barrett and the Buccaneers geared up in the offseason adding some guy named Tom that is apparently good at throwing a football. That free agent signing showed immediate results with the Buccaneers winning their first Super Bowl since Jon Gruden’s team back in 2003.
With the Browns needing another edge rusher to play opposite of Myles Garrett, Barrett may be the perfect guy. Both of them warranting a double team on every snap, someone is bound to be left unguarded and have a free path to the quarterback. That’s exactly what the Browns needs, consistent pass rush. After playing behind Von Miller in Denver for most of his career, Barrett took the next step when he arrived in Tampa. His 27.5 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 107 total tackles and 53 quarterback hits in the past two seasons is exactly the kind of production the Browns need to maintain a dominant pass rush.
Barrett won’t be cheap as edge rushers usually aren’t so he would most likely be the lone free agent signing of the offseason.